S. Raj Chaudhury: schaudhury@auburn.eduStacey Nickson: snickson@auburn.edu

Gisela Buschle-Diller: buschgi@auburn.edu

Locations: Foy 136, Foy 118

Mission: Promote the professional development of allInstructional, administrative and professional staff in support of excellent teaching & enhanced learning.

Programs: for faculty, for graduate students & University in general

Phone: 334-844-8530 http://wp.auburn.edu/biggio/

Biggio Center leadership

• Director: James Groccia (2003-13*)• Associate Director: S. Raj Chaudhury (2009-)• Assistant Director: Stacey Nickson (2008-)• Faculty Fellows: – Bill Buskist (Liberal Arts)– Gisela Buschle-Diller (Eng.) – Jared Russell (Education)

• Distance Learning & Testing Services (2011)

Supporting Auburn’s priorities

• #1 Enhance Student Success– Student retention and achievement– Innovations in eLearning (including distance ed.)

• #2 Support Faculty Vitality– Ongoing faculty development programs– Strong environment for academic work

• #3 Enhance Research & Scholarship– Graduate Student professional development– Grantsmanship & scholarship

Priority 1. Enhance Student Success• Instructional feedback program• Mid semester formative assessments– Helps students and faculty match expectations –

Data on Instructional Feedback

• ~60 in-person Small Group Instructional Feedback sessions/year– ~2 hours per session (prep, data, write-up, consult)

• ~40+ electronic feedback surveys/year• Gathering feedback from ~5000 students/year• Faculty appreciate it, students appreciate it• Confidential process (not ‘teaching police’)

Priority 1. Enhance Student Success

• Supported development of 30+ new distance education courses in last 2 years (mainly undergrad.)– Instructional design assistance– Audio-video materials assistance– Financial incentives– Curriculum review and approval assistance

• Parts of the core now available fully online

Goal 3. The university will redefine its role in the development of eLearning programs (including distance education), meeting the needs of current and new Auburn students in ways that are consistent with the university's academic standards.

Support staff & Grad Assts.Instructional Design/Technology/Multimedia

Distance Learning/Testing Services

Academic programs

QAdministrative support

eLearning via online Testing

Biggin Hall Testing Center 100 seats for proctored

online exams

~30 faculty users5000+ exams administered

eLearning via online TestingFoy Hall Testing Center

14 seats for proctored online exams

2012: 800 exams2013: 1000+ exams

(MECH 2000/3000 assessments)

Bringing national exams to Auburn

• GMAT• GED• MCAT (coming soon)• GRE Subject Tests (Spring)• Engineering FE exam

Priority 2. Support Faculty Vitality• Ongoing professional development– New Faculty Orientation (45-70/Fall)– New Faculty Scholars year-long program (25/year)– Breeden Endowed Instructional grants (10-14/year)– Professional Development Seminars (12/year)

Supporting Faculty• Needs assessment survey (Fall ’12; N=215)– Facilitating effective classroom discussions– Incorporating active learning strategies**– Designing effective lectures– Developing critical thinking/problem solving skills– Using technology to enhance learning

http://www.auburn.edu/easl

Supporting Active Learning

http://youtu.be/HllxkoEdlZA

“Incubator Classroom”

Strategic Commitment:Intellectual Environment

• “Cultivate an exciting intellectual environment by increasing opportunities for greater faculty dialogue and engagement.”1. Ongoing opportunities for faculty dialogue2. Special events focused on timely topics

• Trained 30+ Auburn faculty in Culture Bump• Train national/international external audiences• Support Study Abroad/International Experiences

for students through pre-departure seminars• Contribute to scholarship in inter-cultural

communication

2008; 2010; 2013

Priority 3. Enhance Research & Scholarship

• Graduate Student Professional Development– Preparing Future Faculty program (year long; 2 credits)– 10 years (over 200 students; 75-80% completion) – ~30 doctoral students/year (since 2010); 12+ departments– Engineering; CoSAM; Human Sciences; Education– In collaboration with the Graduate School

PFF student comments• I would like to work in Industry and had never even thought of

working as a faculty. But after taking PFF class, I have realized that if I do get a faculty job, I am ready for those challenges.

• I was lost when writing my first teaching statement but after the class on teaching philosophies and research statements (and the acadmic eportfolio) I felt much more prepared for the job seeking process.

• I enjoyed the different perspectives and opinions in the class that came from different disciplinary backgrounds (76% agreed)

Graduate Teaching Assistants• Fall Orientation (half-day)

- 200+ new GTAs- GTA 101: First Day of Class; Etiquette; Trouble Students;

Technology Usage; Teaching Labs etc.- Spring Orientation (since 2013)

- 75+ GTAs (half-day)

GTA Fellows Program• Leadership, professional dev. for experienced GTAs• Launched in 2012 (10 GTAs) – 1 year commitment

Applications due Nov. 10

Grantsmanship & Scholarship

• STEM Education grants– NSF CAREER Grants (letters of support)– USDA (funded), NSF-REU (funded) – NSF, NASA, HHMI

• Publish and present on Teaching & Learning– Books/Annual Journals – Peer reviewed articles– Book chapters – Conference proceedings

Service

• Senate Teaching Effectiveness Committee• Prestigious Scholarships Committee• Early Alert Grade Committee• Information Technology Council• College of Education DE Committee• SACS Reaffirmation review• SACS QEP Exploratory Committee• Strategic Plan implementation committee[s]

Auburn Indian Music Ensemble

Zach Watson

Questions?

http://wp.auburn.edu/biggio

biggio1@auburn.edu